The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-05-02
THE Duty OF THE COUNCIL.

The natural gas question will come before
the Council tonight. 1t is one of great and
far-reaching Importance and will demand very
careful consideration and judicious action.
The thing for the Council to do is to ascertain
its duty in the premises and then perform it
with as little delay and crcumlocution as pos
sible. We take for granted that every mem
Der Of the Council is of this way Of thinking,
DESTROYS to do what is right and fair and do it
without unnecessary delay. 1t is a case in
which the duty Of the Council and the inter
ests of the city identical. When they
have ascersained what the interests of the city
require, they have ascertained their duty.
Whatever time or consideration may be neces-
sary to acquire this information should be
taken, and then the Council should act
promptly. There should be no ill-considered
action on the one hand or unnecessary delay
on the other. The city must not be made
the victim of hasty legislation nor of unwise
delay.
We understand that the question will be
presented tonight in the form of an ordinance
prepared by the Indiana Natural-gas Com
pany, which is, practically, the Stand
ard Oil Company. 1t matters not
what company presents ordinance or asks
for legislation. The question should be con-
sdered on its merits and without reference
to any particular company. There must
be neither favoritism on the one hand nor
prejudice on the other. The gist of the
whole question is in two words-cheap fuel.
Cheap fuel is what the city wants, and this
is the point to which every movement must
tend. This is all there is in natural gas, and
unless this can be secured the whole subject
may as well be dropped How to secure it is
the question. One element in any successful
solution of the question is competition, and
this point must be guarded. We cannot get
cheap fuel without it. And we do not mean
competition in theory merely, but in reality.
There must be real competitor, if not from
the start, at least in the near future The
only way to secure this is to throw the door
wide open and make such provisions as will
invite competition. It matters not what COM
pany gets in first, the way must be left open
for others, and not only open, but invitingly
so. There is room for several companies to
do profitable business in supplying the city
with cheap fuel. and an invitation should be
extended to all competitors. Free compet
ton, with no exclusive privileges, ought to
secure the desired result.
Two important questions are what equiva-
lent or guaranty should the Council require
in return for what it may grant, and what
restriction, if any, should it place on the
price Of gasY In this regard it will have to be
governed by circumstances and the best
information it get. after careful Inquiry.
II would seem that grant of the Of the
streets and alleys ought to carry with it some
equivalent, but the question is, WHAT Piping
gas to the city will be an expensive undertak-
ing, and if successful the public will get
large benefit in the reduction of the price of
fuel Any company that brings gas to the
city must be permitted to make fair profit
on its investment, including the large outlay,
risk ETC., but not to fleece the people.
Perhaps this point can be best covered by
provision fixing the maximum price of gas.
The Council could not undertake to fix
definitely the price at which gas shall be fur
nished, but it might fix maximum above
which the price should not 60 and leave the
rest to competition. If are to get any
substantial benefit from natural gas we must
have it at a rate very considerably below the
present price of coal, and the Council might
this and other points it would be desirable, if
possible. to have the experience of other cities,
as Pittsburg, Buffalo, Erie, Wheeling and
Toledo. In so important matter the Coun-
Gil should not act hastily though it should
act promptly and with energy.
THE COST OF GAS
United States Consul Schoenhof of Tun-